Ride UberX for free this weekend in the East Bay

Uber is offering free rides in the East Bay for the holiday weekend through its lower-cost car service, UberX.

Passengers can take up to two free rides on UberX beginning noon on Friday through Monday. Rides must be $30 or more, and cars will pick up and drop off in Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito, Pleasant Hill, San Leandro and San Ramon.

San Francisco-based Uber makes a mobile app for ordering car rides, and customers can track the car on their smartphone and enter a credit card that is automatically charged upon completion of the ride. The UberX fleet includes compact and hybrid cars, and are cheaper than the company's high-end black car and SUV services. The company recently slashed prices by 15 to 34 percent, trying to compete with ridesharing services Lyft, which is donation based, and Sidecar, which has traditionally had cheaper fares.

Uber is offering free rides in the East Bay for the holiday weekend through its lower-cost car service, UberX. (Uber photo)

The company is also partnering with the Golden State Warriors and Alameda County Community Food Bank to collect canned food on Monday for Bay Area residents in need. Passengers are encouraged to donate by giving canned goods, pasta, cereal beans and powered milk to their UberX driver.